The above picture is the article that ran in today’s 
front page of the Tribune. This same article is in 
electronic version with a different title:

Lawmakers: Is Salt Lake City School District Serving West Side Students

This blog entry is more of a follow up to the article in order to address the multiple emails and phone calls I am receiving from those that want clarification on several issues reported in the Tribune.

“Clara filed a complaint with the federal Office of Civil Rights in February, asserting there are too many inexperienced and ineffective teachers in west-side schools. He has clashed with board members over his attempts to discuss that topic…”

See Blog Entry: INEFFECTIVE TEACHERS PART I

 “Mr. Clara was speaking only for himself. He was not representing the Salt Lake City School District board of education or Salt Lake City School District.”

PDF LINK: Email to Jason Olson (PIO)

“Members started arguing when Clara started to pass around a three-page letter explaining why he was against a planned property tax increase: He felt he was lacking information and opposed a one-time payment to Withers, which Clara considered a bonus.”

PDF LINK Part I: Jason Olson (PIO) in Trib Comments

PDF Link Part II: Jason Olson (PIO) in Trib Comments

Blog Entry: Superintendent’s Growing Compensation

In the Trib comments, Jason Olson will use the word ‘raise’ and ‘increase’ interchangeably. Perhaps he does that in order to provide a cover for his peddling misleading and inaccurate information. It also begs the question: This is what a school district public information officer does during the day?

I have consistently used the word INCREASE. Referring to what the superintendent is receiving above his current salary:

The blog entry to the Superintendent’s Growing Compensations gives the details of the superintendent’s contract and INCREASES. As a Trib commentator wrote, in so many words- no matter how you slice it, there is still a disparity between the increase that the superintendent receives and what our teachers are receiving.

Superintendent’s Increase By the Numbers:
3% -Bonus
1% – COLA
2% – Longevity
———————
6% INCREASE  

Board member Rosemary Emery protested in an email to other board members after the meeting. “Michael was treated unbelievably rudely,” Emery said. “They’ve been rude to me but not like that. I do think the superintendent has co-opted the board.”

Blog Entry: Salt Lake School District: Lies in Taxation (Video)

“Member Tiffany Sandberg, who also represents Salt Lake City’s west side, said district documents show a Latino high school dropout rate of 39 percent district wide, not the 52 percent reported by Clara. Clara explains his reasoning on his website.”

Blog Entry: Superintendent in Denial: 52 % Dropout Rate of Hispanic Students (Video)

“There’s a lot frustration on the board,” Sandberg said. “I truly believe Michael Clara has good intentions and a good heart but the methods that he uses to try and accomplish things can be counterproductive.”

Blog Entry: 52% High School Dropout For Hispanic Students (Video PPT)